Tag: Bekaa Valley

Review of the wine from Lebanon Domaine des Tourelles Carignan Vieilles Vignes 2021

Lebanese Wines: Domaine des Tourelles Carignan Vieilles Vignes 2021

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Name: Domaine des Tourelles Carignan Vieilles Vignes 2021
Type: Red Wine
Grapes: Carignan
Year: 2021
Country: Lebanon
Region: Bekaa Valley
Date Consumed: December 4, 2025

Although not my favorite grape, the 2021 Carignan from Domaine des Tourelles is a straightforward expression of Lebanese Carignan. It is dry, medium-bodied, with medium tannins.

Typical Carignan notes greet you as soon as you take your first sip. You’ll easily find red cherry, raspberry, and the like, and then comes a light touch of earthiness and licorice.

The (unripe) red fruit acidity is there and lends the wine a brighter, slightly lean character.

Overall, it’s a simple and unpretentious Carignan, and there’s not much else I can say about it.

Review of Chateau Khoury's Cuvee Ste Therese 2019

Lebanese Wines: Chateau Khoury Cuvee Ste Therese 2019

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Name: Chateau Khoury Cuvee Ste Therese 2019
Type: Red Wine
Grapes: Caladoc, Pinot Noir
Year: 2019
Country: Lebanon
Region: Bekaa Valley
Date Consumed: November 12, 2025

I opened this bottle during a relaxed lunch with my wife. It turned out to be the kind of wine that makes you nod approvingly after every sip.

This is the second Chateau Khoury wine we’ve tried (so far). The first one was the Chateau Khoury Symphonie 2010. We liked both very much.

The nose of the Cuvee Ste Therese offers bright notes of red fruits and friendly, agreeable spices. It feels open and lively, and it slides invitingly into the glass.

On the palate, the wine is dry and medium-bodied, The tannins are there, but they’re amicable. And a gentle thread of oak runs through it. The taste is fresh, frank, and unpretentious.

It is what it is: a good wine elevating a weekday lunch.

I’d gladly revisit this one…

I’d want to drink more of it next summer, probably chilled.

Review of the Lebanese Wine called Chateau Khoury Symphonie

Lebanese Wines: Chateau Khoury Symphonie 2010

Chris Khatsch1 Comment

Name: Chateau Khoury Symphonie 2010
Type: Red Wine
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah
Year: 2010
Country: Lebanon
Region: Bekaa Valley
Date Consumed: November 8, 2025

I uncorked the bottle during a casual family dinner. This was my first time trying anything by Chateau Khoury, and their Chateau Symphonie 2010 turned out to be a wine worth returning to.

It’s the kind of bottle that wins you over slowly. The first sip is nice, but the second and third sips are much nicer. The Chateau Symphonie is very approachable yet expressive, it is refined without being showy…

The palate is smooth, with medium acidity and matured, well-integrated tannins, and its name really suits its spirit as it offers a symphony of notes, including ripe red fruits and black cherries, and subtle touches of cocoa and oak.